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The table is beautifully set. Two dozen Travis family members are gathered in the tastefully decorated living room of their Montreal home, anticipating the Christmas feast. And yes, the stockings have been hung by the chimney with care.

And where is Debbie Travis, home design icon, award-winning author and host of hugely popular TV shows From the Ground Up and The Painted House?

"I'll probably be sobbing in the kitchen, as usual. With a glass of wine. After the gin is gone," she chuckles. "They're all coming home from the U.K. where my sons are doing university. So am I really going to get through Christmas without them saying, 'I'm not sitting next to him, he'll drive me mad'? Or, as did happen once, 'I don't want to sit next to her, Mum. She's got whiskers!' "

It sounds chaotic - and perfectly normal - in the lead-up to Christmas. But according to Travis and Samantha Pynn, host of HGTV's Pure Design, as well as an upcoming holiday special called The Party, bedlam need not reign when it comes to Christmas. "Some people are just so organized, I have friends who have their presents by July," says Travis, who admits that while getting help to decorate is important, "when has that even happened? My kids say they'll get up early on Saturday morning to help, then they lie on the sofa and start punching each other. Nothing changes. And if I did the Christmas tree without them, they'd say, 'You said you'd wait and let us do it together!' "

The key to a stress-free Yuletide, she says, is to start early by digging out the old decorations and sorting through them.

"Some of these things get really shabby over the years. You're holding on to a thing that cost 80 cents. Sure, there are those pieces that mean something to you. And there's the things the kids made - you can hang them on the back of the tree," she laughs, "but buying new ornaments once a year is not like buying a sofa, where it's a costly mistake." And even if your old ornaments are in good shape, adds Pynn, you can pack up the ones you no longer love and donate them.

From there, says Travis, Christmas decor is so varied in colour, theme and style that it's a matter of choosing things that match your home. For Canadian Tire this year, she's released six themes, like frosted cookie shapes, feminine "heirloom" Victoriana pieces in pink, peach and silver, some featuring natural wood and gold accents, others in luxurious fabrics, as well as metallic and modern ornaments and her personal favourites, the "homespun" cottage-themed ornaments.

It's a far cry from the tired old red, white and green that once dominated Christmas, says Pynn, whose holiday special airs today at 4 p.m. In it, she visits four well-known interior designer friends, including Michael Pellegrino from Yorkville's Teatro Verde, to see how they decorate for seasonal parties.

"Canadians are much more adventurous when it comes to colour these days," says Pynn, who loves this year's dramatic black and gold colours. "People are using orange and navy or lavender."

But there are rules for decorating and entertaining at Christmas. Here are their tips.

1. "Go away on holidays," laughs Travis, before adding that "the only rule is to plan it a little bit. If you can get things started the month before, the days before Christmas can be focused on the food." Preplan for late nights, traffic and too-much-to-do-ism by buying a few boxes of frozen hors d'oeuvres for emergency drop-in guests.

2. Don't stop at the tree. "I like the idea of using door handles, the tops of mirrors, paintings and chair backs for decorations," Travis says. "Some of these individual icons are so interesting, you can put one on each plate with a name, and use them not just as ornaments but match it to the right person."

3. Update your wreath. Whether you start with a fresh wreath or a simple twisted branch circle, says Pynn, both can be gorgeously embellished with fresh flowers, chocolates, ornaments and even the new illuminated wired ribbon, which comes with a small two-inch battery box, available at Canadian Tire.

5. Go crazy or keep it simple. For those who like to decorate everything, says Pynn, "remember there is strength in numbers. Rather than having one little pot of flowers, do an arrangement with sparkly reindeer for the centre of the table." For minimalists, "a giant vase of branches with ornaments or fresh flowers is great. I don't do a tree - that's my favourite tradition," she laughs. "Rather, I'll do mini cypress trees flanking a mantel and add holiday greenery."

For more design tips, visit debbietravis.com or check out her exclusive collection of holiday decor at canadiantire.ca. Samantha Pynn's special The Party can be seen today at 4 p.m. on HGTV.

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